Retain Orphan Girl Children in Schools in Uganda

Summary:

Uganda is still experiencing increasing school dropout cases and early marriages to a tune of over 34%, the most affected are the young adolescent and teenage girls of 15-19 years, especially the orphans who are poorly support to stay in school. In eastern Uganda, the district of Kibuku is the worst hit by the challenge of girl school dropout, teenage pregnancies and early marriages standing up to 38 percent among the girls of 14-19 years. Other causes of school dropout include failure to manage menstrual hygiene management, poor attitude to girl child education by the parents and orphan care givers, also girls are seen as sources of wealth to the parents especially in the rural settings of Kibuku district and these reasons have contributed to a rise in prostitution practices, un wanted pregnancies child parents and poverty in the district. This project is therefore playing an instrumental role by contributing support to increase access to quality education and ensuring continuity of the orphan girl child in school.

Achievements;

• 200 parents have been sensitized on the values of girl child education

• 20 out of the 35 orphan girls Identified have been equipped with vocational skills in tailoring and computer for sustainable livelihood.

• 35 orphan girls have been mobilized and skilled on how to make reusable sanitary pads using the local resources.
• Those orphans identified in 2019 have now done their mock exams this July and in October 2022 will be seating for their end of course Uganda National Examination board UNEB

Challenges:

• Limited funding and support to maintain the high number of orphans in schools.
• Difficulty in meeting school requirements.
• Trucker drivers continue to defile the younger girls.

Recommendations:

Retaining orphan girls in schools in Uganda requires collective effort, donor support and a lot of attention as the high dropout rate undermines the governments to educating the girl child.

Links:

• http://www.kagumudevelopmentorganization.org